Halong Bay is a place that many tourists wish to visit at least once. It owns a beautiful “bending water and bending mountain” bay with many attractive caves and beaches. With the following article, PS Travel will introduce readers to important information about Ha Long.
Introduction to Ha Long
Ha Long is one of the top coastal tourist destinations in the northern region of Vietnam. When you visit Ha Long, you can enjoy swimming in the beautiful beaches and exploring Ha Long Bay by boat, which is a natural wonder of the world and one of the seven new natural wonders of the world.
Being in the top 7 natural wonders of the world, Ha Long is definitely a dream destination for every traveler. Not only domestic tourists but also foreign tourists are fascinated and in awe of the natural beauty here.
Ha Long has full facilities and quality services as well as synchronized infrastructure. Tourists will be fully served with all amenities, meeting their needs for entertainment, relaxation, shopping, etc. In addition, Ha Long has many interesting and attractive entertainment and exploration points. When you come to Ha Long, you can freely explore, experience, and have fun.
When is the best time to visit Ha Long?
Ha Long is located in the north and experiences four seasons, but the most distinct ones are the cold season (from November to March) and the hot season (from April to October).
Usually, from April to July is the busiest time. This is the best time for tourists who want to swim and participate in water activities. However, from July to August, there are often storms and heavy rain, so tourists are advised not to travel during this time.
In the fall, from September to November, is also a good time to visit Ha Long. The weather is still sunny and warm enough to swim, but it is not as crowded as during the summer months when everyone is on vacation. If you prefer to avoid the crowds, this is the best time to go.
From November to March, you can still visit Ha Long but can only go to amusement parks or enjoy the local cuisine because it is a little bit cold to swim. If you want to visit during this time, you should consider exploring the onshore attractions instead of the beach.
How to get to and travel in Ha Long?
Ha Long is an important transportation hub in Northern Vietnam. Therefore, road, waterway, and railway transportation are all well-developed. Provinces in the North can reach Ha Long by car or train, while provinces in the South can reach it by air.
From Hanoi to Ha Long
By car/motorbike
The road trip by car or motorbike from Hanoi to Ha Long can take 3 hours on the Hanoi – Bac Ninh – Ha Long route with 3 different routes:
- 165km route: Hanoi – Highway 5B – Dinh Vu Port (Hai Phong) – Hai Phong Expressway – Ha Long (the fastest route)
- 155km route: Hanoi (Road 5) – Sai Dong intersection (10km) – Sai Dong (Road 1) – Bac Ninh (23km) – Pha Lai – Chi Linh – Dong Trieu – Uong Bi – Ha Long (122km).
- 160km route: Hanoi (Noi Bai airport road) – Bac Ninh (32km) – Enter National Road 18A to Pha Lai – Sao Do – Dong Trieu – Uong Bi – Ha Long.
By bus
If you do not want to think too much about which route to take, you can choose to take the bus. Bus trips from My Dinh and Luong Yen bus stations to Ha Long usually depart from the first trip at 6 am and the last trip at 5 pm. The trip also takes about 3-4 hours. The buses will be spaced 5-15 minutes apart, and arrive at Bai Chay bus station in Ha Long. The ticket price for a seat is about 100,000 VND/person, while the price for a sleeper is about 200,000 VND/person.
By train
If you like to experience the train, you can choose the Ha Long Express train from Gia Lam station, which takes about 5 hours and costs around 100,000 VND/person (one way) to get to Ha Long.
From provinces in the South to Ha Long
By car
This is a way for adventurous travelers who want to experience the beauty of the road from the South to the North. The trip is about 1,721km long and takes about 33 hours.
By plane
For Ha Long tourists from provinces in the South, the shortest and fastest way is to fly. From Ho Chi Minh City, you can fly to Noi Bai Airport in Hanoi or Cat Bi Airport (Hai Phong) and the shortest route is Van Don Airport in Quang Ninh. Ha Long tours from HCM also follow the flight route, which takes the least amount of travel time.
What to do when traveling to Ha Long
Ha Long Bay
With its majestic landscape resembling a painting, Ha Long Bay is recognized by UNESCO as a natural wonder of the world. The presence of thousands of islands and pristine caves, mysterious and beautiful with a rich ecosystem, Ha Long Bay has become an extremely unique destination that any traveler wants to visit. Some famous islands and caves in Ha Long Bay that you can refer to are: Ga Choi Island, Ngoc Vung Island, Con Coc Island, Ti Top Island, Surprising Cave, etc. In addition, at this famous Ha Long tourist destination, visitors can experience many exciting activities such as cruising on Ha Long Bay, kayaking, etc.
Tuan Chau Island
Located at the gateway to Ha Long Bay, Tuan Chau Island is a famous beauty spot in Ha Long with the largest artificial yacht port system in Vietnam, beautiful beaches and a unique entertainment area…Tuan Chau Island is also given many beautiful names by tourists such as beauty queen island, flower island, pearl island, coconut island, etc.
Hon Gai Beach
As one of the new artificial beaches that Quang Ninh province has invested in and exploited, Hon Gai Beach is considered a beautiful new destination for tourists.
Bai Tho Mountain
Bai Tho Mountain is a limestone mountain in the center of Ha Long, on which many poems by King Le Thanh Tong and Trinh Cuong are still preserved, all inspired by the fairyland beauty of Ha Long Bay. Located right next to Ha Long Bay, Bai Tho Mountain is an ideal Ha Long tourist destination to admire the full view of the bay and the city.
Bai Chay Bridge
Bai Chay Bridge is located on National Highway 18, Quang Ninh province, connecting Bai Chay and Hon Gai. The suspension bridge has a total length of 903m, making tourists amazed when they first set foot on the land. The bridge looks like a thin silk strip lying across the Cua Luc River, along with the surrounding scenery creating a beautiful interplay, becoming a source of pride for the people of Quang Ninh.
Bai Tu Long Bay
Bai Tu Long Bay is located next to Ha Long Bay and is part of Cam Pha City and a portion of Halong. The bay consists of over 600 small and large islands, notable among them is the Bai Tu Long National Park with three main island clusters of Tra Ngọ, Ba Mùn, and Sậu. Visiting this Halong Bay tourist destination, visitors have the opportunity to learn about the life of island residents in fascinating fishing villages.
Enjoying Quang Ninh specialties when visiting Ha Long
When traveling to Ha Long, you don’t have to worry about what to eat, just prepare a hungry stomach. Some dishes that you can enjoy when visiting Ha Long include:
Squid cake – famous Ha Long specialty
The first delicious dish that answers the question of what to eat in Ha Long is squid cake. Squid cake is a famous specialty of the Ha Long coastal region. The golden brown pieces, fragrant and flavorful, are elaborately and meticulously prepared. When you bite into a piece of squid cake, you will feel the crunchiness and sweetness, especially when dipped in chili sauce or sweet and sour fish sauce. If you want to buy this dish as a gift when visiting Ha Long, consider buying hand-crushed squid cake from locals like Ba Kien, Lang Chai, Hien Nhung, etc. They know how to choose the right squid, mix the ingredients in the right proportion, and follow the traditional recipe. This way, the squid cake will be even more fragrant and crunchy.
Stir-fried snails in sauce – Ha Long delicacy
Without betel leaves or cooking oil, Ha Long people stir-fry snails with lemongrass, dried coconut, and kaffir lime leaves. The snail dipping sauce does not need a complicated recipe but is made from the chili sauce used to stir-fry the snails before. The snails are cleaned, put in a pot, seasoned, and boiled. When the steam rises, and the aroma is intense, they are taken out. The stir-fried snails in the sauce are crispy, chewy, and spicy, making tourists ecstatic.
Steamed spider crab
The spider crab is a type of crab with two large claws and plenty of meat. Although not as flavorful as regular crab meat, spider crab meat is still delicious, and the price is very affordable. Steamed spider crab is an attractive dish that many tourists choose to enjoy when coming to Ha Long. In addition to steaming, you can also prepare spider crab in many other ways, such as tamarind stir-fry, grilled on charcoal, stir-fried with vermicelli, etc.
Ha Long sea cucumber
Sea cucumber is an extremely valuable sea creature, with dried sea cucumber selling for up to 4-5 million VND per kg. When in Quang Ninh, don’t forget to enjoy the delicacies made from sea cucumber, such as crispy island sea cucumber, grilled sea cucumber, stir-fried sea cucumber with jicama, sea cucumber coated in crispy flour, etc.
Ha Long razor clam cake
Razor clam cake is a valuable dish that is quite expensive. When visiting Ha Long, you should try some dishes made from razor clam, such as crispy razor clam cake, grilled razor clam, stir-fried razor clam with shredded turnip, razor clam coated in crispy flour, etc.
What should I prepare for a Ha Long Bay trip?
- Sunscreen: sunscreen is a must-have item for women when traveling to Ha Long Bay. Most recreational places are outdoors and require frequent movement. If you forget to bring sunscreen, your skin may turn dark after a few days of traveling here.
- Sunglasses, hats, and sandals: Ha Long Bay is relatively hot and sunny during the summer, so you should bring sunglasses, hats, sandals, etc. for convenient movement and leisure activities.
- Swimwear: it would be a big mistake to visit Ha Long Bay without swimming in the sea. Therefore, bring a few sets of your favorite swimwear.
- Personal documents: wherever you go, personal documents are essential items. They will support you in renting rooms, renting cars, etc.
- Electronic devices: of course, electronic devices such as cameras, laptops, phones, etc. are indispensable for any trip. Ha Long Bay has many beautiful landscapes that you can check-in. So, remember to fully charge your devices to avoid missing out on great photos.
Certainly, no matter how much time you have or what your itinerary is, Ha Long Bay is still a dream destination for tourists. There are many beautiful hotels in Ha Long Bay for accommodation and experience. To make it convenient for your stay and to admire the panoramic view of the world wonder, you can refer to some Ha Long Bay tours offered by PS Travel to get the best price.
